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H. LITOHPIELDL LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

No. 379,173. Patented Mar-L6. 1888.

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HOMER LITOHFIELD, OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOENOOH H. BEER, OF SAME PLACE.

LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,173, dated March 6,1888.

Application filed May 17, 1887. Serial No. 238,503.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER LITOHFIELD, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Let-OffMechanism for Looms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to looms, and has for ID its object to providenovel means for automatically letting on the warp-yarn from thewarpbeam. This object I accomplish by the combination of deviceshereinafterdescribed and claimed, reference being made to the ac- I5companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portionof a loom-frame, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is adetail perspective of the curved shoe or yoke composing a part of the'20 friction let-oil devices.

In the drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates a pulley upon ashaft, 3, which has a pinion, 1, engaging a gear-wheel, 1", on the shaftof the warp-beam 2, and 2 indi- 2 cates the whip-roll. The shaft of thewarpbcam is supported in a loom-frame, 3, in the usual manner, orsubstantially so, and need not differ in essential particulars fromthose already known. The pulley is of any suitable 0 dimensions, is madeof cast-iron or other metal, and has a perfectly smooth plain periphery,similar to that on ordinary belt'pulleys; but it may have flanges 011both sides to keep the strap in place.

Overhanging the pulley 1 is a curved shoe or yoke, 45, having an innerconcave surface, which is curved to approximate the surface of thepulley, which is partly surrounded by said shoe. One end, 5, of thelatter is bent 4o outward and provided with an eye, 6, which receives apivot-bolt, 7, passing into a part of the loom-frame, and givingsuitable support to the shoe at that end, leaving the other end free torise and fall, the latter end being weighted, as at 8, so that the shoeis normally drawn down toward the pulley 1. The whiproll 2 is providedwith a projecting arm, 5, from which is suspended a vertical rod, 12,carrying at its lower end a weight, 8 and provided with a loop, 11, fromwhich a finger, 10, projects into a vertical slot, 9, in the weightedfree end of the curved shoe or yoke.

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Drawn around the face of the pulley 1, under the shoe or yoke, is astrap, 13, one end of which is fastened to a stud or projection, 14,upon the loom-frame 3, while the other end is secured to the free end ofthe shoe 4, the length of the strap being such that it may be subjectedto tension upon the periphery of the pulley 1 by lowering the weightedend of the shoe, and such tension increased to the maximum, therebybringing the curved face of the shoe down upon and into contact with thestrap 13.

In operation the additional tension on the warp-yarn incident to theshedding motion produced by the usual loomliarncss-opcrati ngmechanisnifor example, as disclosed by Letters Patent No. 64,14t7acts onthe whip-roll 2, raising the arm 5 with the weighted rod 12, therebylifting the curved shoe or yoke4 and relieving the pulley 1 from thefriction of the strap 13, thus allowingthe yarn beam to turn untilsufficient warp is let oil. When this is effected, the weighted rod 12descends and 5 moves the shoe or yoke toward the pulley 1, and thusdraws the strap 13 into close frictional contact with said pulley tostop the let- Off and hold the yarn-beam firm, thereby producing tensionon the warpyarn, as in the patent named.

I do not broadly claim an automatically-operated brake acting on apulley for holding and releasing the warp-beam; but

WVhat I do claim is-- In a letoff mechanism for looms, the combination,with the loom-frame, a warp-beam, a pulley geared thereto, and thewhip-roll, of a shoe or yoke overhanging the pulley and pivoted at oneend to the loom-frame and pro- 0 vided at its free end with a weight anda slot,

a flexible friction-strap extending around the pulley under the shoe oryoke and fastened at one end to the loom-frame and at the other end tothe weighted free end of the shoe or 5 yoke, and a weight-rod having afinger engaging the slot of the shoe or yoke to loosen and tighten thestrap, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOMER LITGHFIELD.

Vitn esses:

JNo. E. DREW, ENOOH H. BEER.

